Officers subdue suspect

A Lebanon man was charged with reckless endangerment and resisting arrest after police said he threatened to kill himself and attack an officer with a knife.

Police Chief Scott Bowen said officers responded to N. Hatton Street on Wednesday at about 11:15 a.m. after a call concerning a suspicious person who was knocking on doors.

Bowen said Sgt. Mike Bay approached the suspect, Terry Tittle, 23, who told Bay he’d have to kill him because he wasn’t going back to jail. He said Tittle then walked across the street to the Lebanon Public Library, where his girlfriend, Shawnya Simpson, 28, of Lebanon, was waiting.

Bowen said Tittle turned back and officers noticed he was holding a knife to his own throat. He said Simpson tried to take the knife from Tittle, refusing officers’ commands to move away.

According to Bowen, Tittle and Bay talked some, but Tittle refused to put the knife down. He said Tittle continued threatening to kill himself while fighting with Simpson over the knife.

Bowen said Tittle then charged toward officers with the knife when officers shot him with a less lethal shotgun containing beanbag rounds to ensure his and Simpson’s safety.

“If we wouldn’t have had that less lethal stuff there, the only other option would have been to use deadly force,” said Bowen.

According to Bowen, officers approached Tittle to give medical care when Simpson spat in one officer’s face. He said Tittle was taken to University Medical Center for evaluation.

Tittle was charged with resisting arrest and reckless endangerment and had a domestic assault warrant from Tuesday. Simpson was charged with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.